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Namra Saif - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Sales Engineer at Comstar - Information Systems Associates Ltd.
Real User
Top 5
Provides flexibility and is reliable from a security perspective
Pros and Cons
  • "The product is also flexible."
  • "The product's high price is an area of concern where improvements are required."

What is our primary use case?

Cisco offers good switches. In Pakistan, there are a lot of customers who are Cisco lovers, and they also use Cisco's firewall products.

What is most valuable?

The features of Cisco that I find to be the most valuable or effective are its network security and speed.

What needs improvement?

My company cannot import Cisco products in Pakistan due to some L/C issues. Cisco can consider the aforementioned details related to imports for improvement.

The product's high price is an area of concern where improvements are required.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for more than three years. I sell the product to my company's clients in Pakistan and don't use it personally.

Buyer's Guide
Cisco Catalyst Switches
September 2025
Learn what your peers think about Cisco Catalyst Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: September 2025.
867,370 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is a scalable solution. The product is also flexible.

My company deals with around 50 customers who use the product.

How are customer service and support?

The quality of support services provided by the product is good. You can open a ticket with the support team and also use Cisco's RMA option, which is quite a speedy process.

The product's support team is good, and it is easy to open a ticket. The product's technical team responds to a user's queries in a few hours or minutes.

How was the initial setup?

The product's initial setup phase was easy.

There is a manual from Cisco that can be followed to deploy the product, and our company's clients mostly use it since it helps them take care of the deployment process by themselves. Our company's clients don't seek help from my organization for deployment. Our company's clients will only approach us if they get stuck somewhere with the deployment process.

For the deployment process, there is a portal maintained by Cisco where you can log in and take care of the configuration part. Cisco provides guidance with the steps involved in the deployment, and one can easily follow them. The user dashboard in Cisco's hotel can be helpful for those who are involved in deploying the product.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The new products from Cisco in the market are expensive. My company cannot import Cisco products, so they are mostly unavailable.

My company's clients pay yearly for the licensing costs attached to the solution.

What other advice do I have?

The product was helpful in improving the network performance for our company's clients, considering that I have dealt with a few companies who are quite satisfied with Cisco's technical features because, on a monthly basis, they acquire five to six Cisco tools from my organization. Our company's clients can't afford the new equipment provided by Cisco and mostly prefer to purchase refurbished equipment. Our company's customers are satisfied with refurbished equipment.

The product is reliable from a security perspective since it offers a secure VPN.

The product's ease of management has improved our company's operational efficiency since Cisco supports configuration or troubleshooting issues.

I recommend the product to those who plan to use it.

Integrating the product with other network tools impacts our company's IT infrastructure since it is an easy process to integrate, deploy, and configure the tool.

The product's users experience many benefits, considering that it is a scalable and reliable tool. Cisco places a strong emphasis on security. Cisco offers a range of features to protect its users' networks. The product secures its users' networks from cyber threats. It is easy to deploy and configure, and its support is good. I sell a lot of Cisco refurbished or used equipment in Pakistan. People love to use Cisco in Pakistan. There are a lot of Cisco lovers in the market who won't switch from it to some other brand. Some of our customers have been using Cisco for many years. I have suggested other brands to my company's customers, but they are stuck with Cisco due to its great features.

I rate the overall product an eight and a half out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Reseller
PeerSpot user
RafaelTorres - PeerSpot reviewer
Founder at Torres & Torres Tech
Real User
Top 5
Easy to configure and has good features like BGP, VPN, and spine-leaf architecture
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features of the solution are BGP, VPN, and spine-leaf architecture."
  • "The solution’s licensing could be improved."

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features of the solution are BGP, VPN, and spine-leaf architecture. The solution has good scalability. The solution’s configuration is easy.

What needs improvement?

The solution’s licensing could be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Cisco Catalyst Switches for 13 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I rate the solution ten out of ten for stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution has good scalability. Around 8,000 users use Cisco Catalyst Switches in our organization.

I rate the solution a nine out of ten for scalability.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I previously used Juniper.

How was the initial setup?

The solution’s initial setup is easy.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Cisco Catalyst Switches is a very expensive solution.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend the solution to other users.

Overall, I rate the solution ten out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Catalyst Switches
September 2025
Learn what your peers think about Cisco Catalyst Switches. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: September 2025.
867,370 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Sultan Mohammed - PeerSpot reviewer
Enterprise Network Engineer at IE Network Solutions PLC
MSP
High-performance solution that can accommodate growing network demands
Pros and Cons
  • "It enables fast data transfer rates, while offering stable and consistent network performance."
  • "With most of the Cisco devices and models, we faced a slight decrease in speed during the initial setup and while restarting the system"

What is our primary use case?

The main use case usually depends on the client itself. We are operating as system integrators with numerous customers and different software vendors. 

What is most valuable?

When deciding on the system, most of the clients check for switching capacity and Cisco Catalyst Switches is a very good solution for that purpose. It enables fast data transfer rates while offering stable and consistent network performance. 

What needs improvement?

With most of the Cisco devices and models, we faced a slight decrease in speed during the initial setup and while restarting the system. The performance of the solution itself is really good. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been employing this solution for a year and a half. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I would rate the stability ten out of ten. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability depends on the device that is used and the client's requests, but overall, it is a scalable solution that can accommodate growing network demands. 

How are customer service and support?

Cisco provides comprehensive support and advanced management capabilities, including remote configuration and monitoring options. We had a small issue with the data center so we had to engage with the tech team, and their service was exceptional. I rate it ten out of ten. 

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was not complex at all. The only issue with the setup is that it takes a lot of time for the system to be deployed. 

What about the implementation team?

The deployment of the solution is based on specific networking needs so the timing and the whole process depends on the complexity of the project.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I would say that the pricing of the solution falls within the moderate to higher range. It is still quite reasonable for the provided service. I rate it seven out of ten.

What other advice do I have?

I highly recommend Cisco Catalyst Switches as they facilitate the creation of network segments and VLAN configurations for smooth traffic management and security. I rate it ten out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Itsikc BenTolila - PeerSpot reviewer
Founder & CEO at Malam-Team
Real User
Great features, good support, and easy to set up
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution offers great scalability."
  • "The product could always be more secure."

What is our primary use case?

The solution is primarily used for the access layer, distribution layer, core layer - the three layers as well as a signal fabric that is managed through the DNA center.

What is most valuable?

The performance is great.

The solution offers great scalability. 

We have found the pricing to be okay. It's not overly expensive. 

It has all of the features we need.

I've been pleased with the level of security.

The setup process is simple.

We've been happy with technical support.

What needs improvement?

We would like to see more automation integrated into the solution in future releases. 

The product could always be more secure.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've used the solution for many years. It's been a while. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of the product is pretty good. There are no bugs or glitches. The performance is reliable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution scales well. If a company needs to expand it, it can.

We have customers on the solution that have 5- to 100 users and others that have thousands.

How are customer service and support?

We've been very satisfied with technical support. Overall, it has been good. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is not overly complex or difficult. It is simple and straightforward. 

The number of people you need to maintain the product depends on how large it gets. Naturally, the bigger it is the more people you need. The size of the network will determine the maintenance requirements. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The price of the solution is good. It's reasonably priced. The licensing fee depends on the setup.

What other advice do I have?

I'm an integrator for Catalyst.

I would rate the solution an eight out of ten. I'd recommend it as a product to others. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Integrator
PeerSpot user
reviewer1392267 - PeerSpot reviewer
Fraud Risk Analyst at a university with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
Easy to use, reliable, and reasonably priced
Pros and Cons
  • "Cisco Switches are more stable in terms of hardware and firmware, rather than Juniper Switches."
  • "In terms of performance, Juniper switches have a more user-friendly interface and more features than Cisco switches."

What is our primary use case?

Cisco Catalyst Switches is our core switch.

What is most valuable?

Cisco Catalyst Switches are easy to use.

They are user-friendly.

It's a common product to use.

Cisco Catalyst Switches is the best product that we use.

We have a lot of security modules, but we don't have any problems with switches.

Cisco Switches are more stable in terms of hardware and firmware, rather than Juniper Switches.

We think it's popular. We prefer to use Cisco CLI commands rather than Juniper CLI commands.

What needs improvement?

Cisco Catalyst Switches could be more secure.

In terms of performance, Juniper switches have a more user-friendly interface and more features than Cisco switches.

For how long have I used the solution?

The core Cisco Catalyst Switch is 4507.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Cisco Catalyst Switches are stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Cisco Catalyst Switches are scalable, and we use them for the entire team.

We don't need an upgrade right now because we're transitioning to another product that's already in place and ready in our infrastructure.

We have 500 users in our company.

We don't have any plans to increase our usage.

How are customer service and support?

We don't have any issues with the technical support.

I believe we contacted support for the core switch once, and they helped us with the firmware, which we upgraded. It was, however, about five years ago.

Years ago, we didn't use any kind of support. But I believe it is working, and they are working threefold with no problems.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We use several products such as Cisco Switches, Access Points, Linksys, and Fortinet FortiGate.

We use an older version of Cisco Access Points, 4400, I believe.

Before Catalyst, we used Extreme Switches. We worked with Extreme Switches for five years.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. We have previous experience with Cisco switches. We can easily assist with any upgrades or support. It is very simple for us.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The price is fine. 

It is reasonably priced because we have already conducted a tender, allowing Cisco and other vendors to compete for the best price.

We did not renew the support.

It was a good price because, as I previously stated, we held a tender for purchasing and received the best offer.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution to my colleagues.

I would rate Cisco Catalyst Switches a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1251825 - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Network Engineer at a marketing services firm with 51-200 employees
Real User
Good VLAN capabilities and technical support, but the pricing is too high
Pros and Cons
  • "The Cisco Catalyst is very stable and it can last for many years."
  • "Cisco has to lower the price of its products to make them more cost-effective."

What is our primary use case?

Our network infrastructure uses Cisco devices, including Cisco Catalyst Switches. 

The primary use case is routing traffic between the various sites that we are connected to. We have leased lines connected all over the country for use cases in revenue, immigration, and other government services.

What is most valuable?

You can easily set up and configure VLANs.

It is easy to set up connections between devices.

What needs improvement?

Cisco has to lower the price of its products to make them more cost-effective.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The Cisco Catalyst is very stable and it can last for many years. Some of our switches ran up until end-of-life and we are still using them now. We know that it's end-of-life but they still do the job.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We use a lot of products from Cisco.

How are customer service and support?

The Cisco technical support is fine and we are satisfied with it. However, at this time, we are getting our support from another company and there are some issues with our subscription. As such, we are not getting all of our services.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We use Ubiquiti devices for our wireless LAN, and in addition to Cisco, we have routers from MikroTik. Within the last month, we used some Ruckus devices. These were connected to our MikroTik and Cisco devices.

We also bought a Cisco Nexus, but it is not yet configured.

How was the initial setup?

The deployment was done before I joined the company.

What about the implementation team?

I am responsible for network maintenance. It includes updating the routers and adding new devices. I will deploy the Nexus switch that we bought recently.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The prices of Cisco devices are too high.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We currently have the Catalyst 2960 and it is going end-of-life, so I am considering a replacement. They suggested replacing it with the 9200 but I'm currently comparing Cisco and Meraki devices.

In the market, some people are moving away from Cisco and using MikroTik devices because the price of Cisco products is too high. MikroTik products are cheaper and the gap in prices is too big. This is something that Cisco needs to consider.

What other advice do I have?

I am looking forward to learning more about the Nexus that we bought because we are using old technology. There are a lot of new features.

I would rate this solution a seven out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
JaromirLikavec - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Network Engineer, IT Manager at a educational organization with 51-200 employees
Real User
Feature-rich, secure, and supports virtual stacking
Pros and Cons
  • "This is a feature-rich product and the newer models have improved features that allow for many new possibilities."
  • "My company would prefer that the price was more cost-effective."

What is most valuable?

The security is very nice.

This is a feature-rich product and the newer models have improved features that allow for many new possibilities.

The virtual stacking feature is helpful.

What needs improvement?

My company would prefer that the price was more cost-effective.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with Cisco Switches for approximately 25 years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

With respect to stability, Cisco is a vendor that we can rely on.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I work with a variety of Cisco network products, including Cisco Wireless.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Pricing from Cisco is expensive but we pay for the reliability.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I am in the process of changing my core networking infrastructure, and I am moving into the new portfolio that is offered by Cisco. My boss regularly asks whether we can change from Cisco to another vendor to get better pricing, but I always reject this. We rely on Cisco.

When you have a homogenous network, as I do with only Cisco networking products, with no other components, then all of the features from the old platforms are available. I can use the same access procedures, regardless of whether the device is wireless, wired, or remotely accessed.

What other advice do I have?

Overall, I am satisfied with Cisco Catalyst switches. The only complaint that my company has is about the pricing.

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1125813 - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Support Team Leader at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Real User
Great managed switches that are stable and easy to set up
Pros and Cons
  • "The scalability is good."
  • "The technical response could be faster in the future."

What is our primary use case?

I'm using almost six Cisco switches.

We use the solution for the LAN, Local Area Network, for the organization, or for business. 

What is most valuable?

The solution is very stable.

The scalability is good.

They are managed switches, and we can control and manage almost all of these switches - even individually, one by one, or through a central control center.

The initial setup is pretty straightforward.

What needs improvement?

The device age becomes an issue. For example, with the 2960 version, they're not supporting that one anymore. I find that the device or the model age is a little bit short. It is five or eight years. When we have a big organization, we have 100 or 200 switches, and suddenly it's out of support, end of support, or end of life, or whatever, it's difficult as we cannot change switches every five years. At a minimum, they should last ten years. That's better. To upgrade, it's a huge budget. Therefore, the age of the product itself is a little bit short. They really should make it longer.

The technical response could be faster in the future. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for maybe ten years or so. It's been a while. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is perfectly stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability is pretty good. If a company needs to expand it, it can do so. It's not a problem.

We have up to 600 or 700 users. It's not measured per user. Rather, it is per device. We have many devices on top of users.

We do plan to increase usage in the future. 

How are customer service and support?

I have contacted technical support in the past. They are fine, however, they are a little bit slow.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We did not previously use a different solution. We've always used Cisco products.

How was the initial setup?

The solution is easy to install for administrators and network engineers. People who are qualified in networking shouldn't face any issues. It's fine, it's easy.

The amount of time it takes to deploy a switch depends. If it is at layer switch, it will not take more than one hour, maximum, for each switch. However, if it is a core switch, it might take one day.

The size of the team you need for maintenance also depends. If we are going for an upgrade, we need a big team. However, if it is just for troubleshooting, only two engineers are required.

What about the implementation team?

We can handle the implementation ourselves. We do not need any integrators or consultants. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We can use the switches without licenses. However, with licenses, yearly licenses, it is better, as we will have more troubleshooting options and control options, through a control center device.

What other advice do I have?

We use various versions of the solution. For the access layer switch, we have different models, including 2950 and 2960. Now, we are using the 9K series, 9200. The latest one. This is for the access layer. For core and distribution switches, we have 6500 and 4500 versions.

I'd recommend the solution to others.

I would rate them at a nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Cisco Catalyst Switches Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: September 2025
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Cisco Catalyst Switches Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.